Steroids from herbs of Reineckia carnea and their anticomplement activities

Abstract

A new polyhydroxylated pregnane, named lβ,2β,3β,4β,5β,6β-hexolhydroxy-pregn-16-en-20-one (1), along with nine known (2–10) steroidal saponins were isolated from the whole plant of Reineckia carnea. Structure elucidations of all compounds were established by interpretation of their NMR spectral data, HR-ESI-MS and comparing with literatures. In addition, these compounds were evaluated with anticomplement activity. The result showed that compound 1 exhibited anticomplement effects with the CH₅₀ values of 0.043 mg/mL, but saponins (2–10) showed no inhibition. Interestingly, hydrolysis of steroidal saponins (2–10) resulted in its aglycones (2a–10a) correspondingly which showed anticomplement activity with the CH₅₀ values of 0.049–0.156 mg/mL.

Keywords:

• Reineckia carnea
• polyhydroxylated pregnane
• steroids
• anticomplement activity